


Dress Rehearsal

by shutterbug



Category: Ripper Street
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Intimacy, Politics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 07:06:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16593173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shutterbug/pseuds/shutterbug
Summary: Jane rehearses an address for an audience of one.





	Dress Rehearsal

**Author's Note:**

> So many thanks to my wonderful beta, GrumpyQueer.

The lamps in Jane’s office bathe her face in a soft glow. Her voice explodes and reaches every corner of the room.

Edmund reclines on the sofa, watching while she paces before her desk. She holds a piece of paper, a hand-written speech, rehearsing for her audience of one.

“The reasons why women should be granted the vote are obvious to every reasonable person.”

Edmund’s eyebrows crinkle as he considers her words. “Perhaps--” he says, then sits up. “Pardon me, but--”

“No, no,” she says. Her right hand, which grips her paper, falls to her side. “Please. If you can offer improvement, I would hear it.”

She speaks quickly, as if flustered and inconvenienced. He shifts in his seat. “No. I…please continue. I don’t mean to interrupt.”

“Edmund--”

“No, Jane. Please--”

" _Out with it_ , Edmund.”

His eyes sink to the floor, then return to her face--then the floor, then her face--as he swallows. “Perhaps,” he says. “You might replace ‘reasonable’ with another phrase. You used the word ‘reasons’--”

“At the beginning of the sentence, yes,” she finishes with a shake of her head.

“Yes, and it sounds--”

“Repetitive and unoriginal. Of course.”

He resists the impulse to go to her, instead remaining seated on the sofa, chewing his bottom lip.

After a long pause, she asks, “Do you have any suggestions?”

“Fair?” he offers, unsure of himself.

“Or fair- _minded_?” she asks, her voice suddenly brighter.

“Yes,” he says. “Perfect.”

Her smile wraps itself around his heart, and he leans back into the cushion. His cheeks are plumped up by his own smile, wide and full of admiration as she tests the revised line.

“The reasons why women should be granted the vote are obvious to every”--she glances at him, and he nods--"fair-minded person.”

He invites her to continue with a sweep of his hand. She does. “Every patriotic and public-spirited woman wishes now to take part in our country’s legislative process. Please, friends, adopt our cause as your own. Make it a party measure--nay, a measure for _all_ parties--and we shall be better friends. We shall have a happier nation.”

Edmund straightens in his seat when she stops before him and addresses him directly.

“We shall, gentlemen,” she continues. “Be far prouder of our history.”

When she concludes, her posture relaxes. She drops her paper onto her desk, then joins him on the sofa. She takes his hand and asks, “Will you come?”

He places her hand between both of his, and kisses her cheek. “Of course.”

The next afternoon, Edmund stands at the back of the crowd and watches as Jane calls for their attention. He listens, enraptured by her strong, clear voice--by her articulated passions. Pride warms his chest. His mouth stretches with a soft smile when Jane’s eyes find him. When her gaze breaks away from him, Edmund wishes for the crowd's absence and looks forward to the moment when he could be alone with her. When he could surround them both with her bed covers. When he could touch his lips to her ear and impart a full review of her remarks in a private voice meant only for her.


End file.
